NOAA AWARDS FOUR STUDENTS THE NANCY FOSTER SCHOLARSHIP
TO PURSUE DOCTORATES IN MARINE BIOLOGY

The
Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) has awarded the Dr.
Nancy Foster Scholarship to four outstanding graduate-level scholars
in the field of marine biology.

Soon
after the death of NOAA's Dr. Foster, in June of 2000, Congress created
the scholarship as a means of honoring her life's work and contribution
to the nation. The funding is drawn from the National
Marine Sanctuaries Act, which is administered by NOAA's
National Ocean Service. The current funding enables NOAA to award
four scholarships in 2002. Each scholarship recipient will receive an
annual stipend of $20,000 and up to $12,000 annually for tuition. Doctoral
students are eligible to continue the scholarship program for four years
and master’s-level students for two years.

"Dr.
Nancy Foster was a visionary, dedicating her life’s work to
conserving our coastal and marine environments. This year’s recipients
exemplify that same enthusiasm and commitment to preserving these precious
resources,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad
C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and
atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “This program continues Dr.
Foster’s devotion for providing equal opportunities and help toward
achieving professional goals.”

The
four 2002 recipients are as follows:

Amy Noel
Van Buren, Seattle, Wash. - Ms. Van Buren is currently pursuing
her doctorate in marine biology from the University
of Washington. Ms. Van Buren has conducted research of Megellanic
penguins in Argentina and the Falkland Islands. It is this research
that has influenced her academic and professional objectives. Ms.
Van Buren is interested in reducing the conflicts between human activities
and marine ecosystem integrity. Upon graduation, she would like to
expand her research to encompass other seabird species and marine
systems.

Deborah
L. Howard, Baltimore, Md. - Deborah L. Howard is currently
pursuing her doctorate in marine biology at the University
of Maryland. She also holds a bachelor’s and master’s
in marine science. Howard decided to pursue her doctorate in marine
science because of her passion for working with the marine environment
and to impress upon her children the importance of setting goals.
Upon graduation, Howard is interested in pursuing the concept of lateral
gene transfer within marine microbiological communities, with an emphasis
on toxic species.

Jennifer
E. Magnussen, Weston, Fla. - Jennifer E. Magnussen is currently
pursuing her doctorate in marine biology from Nova
Southeastern University. Magnussen has always had a strong interest
in marine biology, particularly the deteriorating state of our ocean’s
biological resources. It is this concern that has compelled Magnussen
to dedicate her efforts toward objectives to overcoming obstacles
that reduce the effectiveness of fisheries management. Magnussen is
interested in publishing research on the development and use of genetic
markers and novel methods for forensic identification of shark species,
and apply these tools to survey the extent of the Asian shark fin-trade
for better conservation and management planning.

Lisa Michele
Wall, Satellite Beach, Fla. - Lisa Michele Wall is enrolled
in a dual masters of science program in science education and biology,
with a focus on marine biology, at the University
of Central Florida. She has completed her master’s in science
education and is currently pursuing her doctorate in curriculum and
instruction focusing on science education in Florida. Upon completion
of her master’s in biology, Wall plans to pursue her doctorate
in conservation biology, focusing on marine ecology in the Indian
River Lagoon in Florida. Wall’s fascination with the marine
environment began as a young girl living near the Indian River Lagoon
system. Wall is a full-time high school science teacher and tries
to relate her passion for the marine environment to her biology, chemistry,
physics, and fundamentals of scientific research classes.

This
is the second year of the program and NOAA received 135 applications,
representing all the coastal regions of the United States, including
several from Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The applications were ranked
by a panel of NOAA scientists, and finalists were selected based on
their ranked scores. Students were evaluated based on financial need,
academic excellence, recommendations and a statement of intent, which
also indicated the student's research and career goals. A separate panel
selected the four award winners for the 2002-2003 school year from the
finalists.

A call
for applications for the 2003-2004 school year is expected to be released
early spring 2003.

NOAA
National Ocean Service (NOS) is
a federal agency devoted to exploring, understanding, conserving and
restoring the nation's coasts and oceans. NOS promotes safe navigation,
supports coastal communities, sustains coastal habitats and mitigates
coastal hazards. NOS balances environmental protection with economic
prosperity and leads the effort to ensure that our nation's coastal
areas remain safe, healthy and productive. NOS is an agency of the U.S.
Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.